Main section
Use cases from public administration
Read up on specific examples of applications where our signatures, seals and timestamps are used.
Electronic signatures for building permits
Even though building permits can already be submitted electronically in some municipalities, decisions on building rights are still usually sent by regular post. But even this step can be digitalised thanks to the electronic signature. After all, the qualified electronic signature (QES) – i.e. the highest signature standard – is equivalent to a handwritten signature (Art. 14(2)bis of the Swiss Code of Obligations).
The benefits
-
The process can be mapped efficiently, promptly and without changing media at all. The building permit is submitted electronically and then automatically forwarded to a workflow for obtaining signatures from signatories.
-
The identity of the signatory and the legal validity of the signature are unambiguously guaranteed.
-
The integrity and authenticity of the document are guaranteed. The applicant receives a secure confirmation that the sender – for example, the building authority – has approved the application. And this approval cannot be changed without this being detected.
Other use cases in public administration
Contracts under private law, minutes, communications with other authorities
Electronic seals for debt collection register extracts
It is still the case that debt collection register extracts are regularly issued directly at the counter or sent by post to the applicant. Electronic seals allow documents such as debt collection register extracts to be created and sent entirely digitally.
The benefits
-
The process can be mapped completely digitally, without changing media. Documents no longer need to be printed out and sent by post. By issuing documents electronically, citizens can even use the debt collection register extract multiple times.
-
The authenticity and origin of the debt collection register extract – for example, the municipality – are confirmed and can be unambiguously verified by any recipient.
-
Electronic seals guarantee integrity and prevent subsequent manipulation. This means that recipients cannot subsequently change the content of the document without detection.
-
The reliability of the document for legal purposes is ensured. The debt collection register extract is recognised as an official document of the municipality.
Other use cases in public administration
Certificates of residence, civil status certificates, commercial register extracts, fishing licences
Digital timestamps for document archiving
If business processes in public administration are digitalised, downstream document archiving must also take place electronically. The use of digital time stamps is recommended in order to achieve traceability of the electronic filing system and as an additional security measure. The Swiss Federal Ordinance on Account Books (GeBüV) explicitly refers to these time stamps in this regard.
The benefits
-
The existence of electronic data/documents at a certain point in time is confirmed. For example, documentation of financial and accounting activities can be properly archived.
-
The documents remain in the secure environment of the relevant authority. Confidential information never leaves that environment. Only one unique identifier for the document (‘hash’) is sent to the timestamp service.
Other use cases in public administration
Justitia 4.0
